Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

02/20/2026

It's hard to listen to someone in emotional pain without immediately trying to fix it. Or problem-solve. Or panic. This article, drawing from my book Loving Someone with Suicidal Thoughts, is an excellent how-to guide on brave listening.

Someone you love says, “I want to kill myself,” and you want to help. What can you do? And what should you say?

11/01/2025

What helps people stay alive in dark times? I'm addressing this timely topic at a free talk via Zoom this Thursday, Nov. 6, at 1:15p Pacific time.

The talk incorporates my personal experiences with suicidality and post-traumatic growth while also giving bigger picture advice about surviving today's troubling times.

To register, you can scan the QR code in the attached photo or go to this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mZNgCJDXQDGZEzNmnlPwNw?ampDeviceId=d96e1c53-7a06-4151-9980-17c6923b2cfb&SessionId=1758912009473&DeviceId=d96e1c53-7a06-4151-9980-17c6923b2cfb&SessionId=1758912009473&_gl=1*1gkxso8*_gcl_au*MjEyOTI5NTc0Mi4xNzUzMzAyNjY4LjYwNzA1ODY2OS4xNzU4ODM3NTAzLjE3NTg4Mzc1MDI.*_ga*MTg4MzAzNzg0MS4xNzA3MjUwNDkz*_ga_L8TBF28DDX*czE3NTg5MTIwMTckbzE1MCRnMSR0MTc1ODkxMjIzOSRqOCRsMCRoMA #/registration

09/03/2025

Jay Valusek describes six coping strategies that helped him after his 28-year-old daughter died by su***de.

08/06/2025

This is an excellent summary of my book Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals. Perhaps my favorite part:

"Freedenthal unpacks the importance of seeing suicidal thoughts as expressions of profound emotional distress, not merely as clinical red flags. She challenges professionals to lean into the discomfort and to replace fear-driven reactions with compassionate inquiry. The theme is not just about preventing death—it’s about facilitating connection, fostering hope, and helping people feel seen in their darkest moments."

Thank you, Tal Gur!

What if knowing exactly what to say could truly save a life? In Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals, Stacey Freedenthal distills her years of experience into a guide that is both practical and profoundly compassionate, equipping therapists and professionals with the to...

03/31/2025

This year’s suicidology conference is profoundly special for me. I’m a keynote speaker, which is already special. Also, it’s the 20-year conference-versary with my husband Pete, a fellow suicidologist. We got together at the AAS conference in 2005 in Denver, and we married a little over a year later.

I’m grateful to celebrate two decades with Pete, and to give my keynote talk on Wednesday, “How to (Want to) Stay Alive in Dark Times.”❤️

02/09/2025

What keeps you going in hard times? This blog post shares others' reasons for living and invites you to share yours, if you're so inclined.

These days, anyone of any political persuasion can find reasons to despair. Dramatic social upheaval. Climate change. Wars. Artificial intelligence. Mondays. If you wish you could die, or if you outright think of killing yourself, what keeps you going? In another post, I asked, “What stops you fro...

02/03/2025

I’m in awe of AnneMoss Nimocks Rogers for speaking so honestly in this guest post about responding to her son Charles in a way she now regrets. Of course, Charles’ tragic su***de still might have occurred even if she’d responded differently to his pain. But it’s so generous of her to share her painfully earned wisdom, because it’s true: depression and suicidal thoughts don’t go away just because someone wishes they would.😢

https://speakingofsu***de.com/2025/02/03/toxic-positivity/

09/30/2024

Almost 80 percent of su***des are completed by men. 80%. Men’s higher rates of su***de bring up two crucial questions: Why are so many men killing themselves? And why aren’t we, as a society, more focused on su***de in men?

09/23/2024

New blog post!

No, su***de isn't always preventable. It's often preventable. That statement acknowledges our limitations, but also the precious opportunities we have to help.

09/12/2024

Check out this new podcast interview, in honor of Su***de Prevention Month

In this episode, we connect with Dr. Stacey Freedenthal, a psychotherapist, educator, writer, consultant, and speaker who specializes in helping people at risk for su***de.

09/08/2024

New blog post!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/QgQkHDkA8fZGmV5v/

After a child has attempted su***de, parents and caregivers agonize about how to help prevent this nightmare from happening again. Here are some tips, based on my own practice as a psychotherapist helping people with suicidal thoughts and behavior, and based on the recently released film After Your....

09/04/2024

New guest post on my website Speaking of Su***de!

Susan Auerbach lost her son Noah to su***de 11 years ago. Here's how she's coped with -- and grown from -- from the devastating loss.